Scott County Soil & Water Conservation District

Monthly Board Meeting Minutes

April 19, 2007

Present: John W. Hardin Chairperson; Joe Robbins Vice-Chairperson; Matt Oberlies Treasurer; Bill Comer Supervisor; Jeff Coomes Supervisor; Judy White District Office Manager.

Guests Present: Pat Larr NRCS, Don Stump, Denise Dailey

CALL MEETING TO ORDER: Chairperson John Hardin called the meeting to order at 7:00pm

MINUTES: The minutes from the March 1, 2007 meeting were reviewed. Bill Comer made a motion to accept both sets of minutes as written with a second by Joe Robbins. All members voted on and motion carried with board members signing March 1, 2007 minutes.

OLD BUSINESS

CWI Grant #06-CWI-406: The State Soil Conservation Board (SSCB) denied our request for an extension of the grant to reallocate the unused $317 funds. Final report on this grant due 4/30/07.

Rule 5 Update: Judy had contacted Denise to come to SWCD office and explain to her how Rule 5 worked and provide a copy of the tracking sheet. Denise gave JW a news article to publish. Denise informed supervisors that they need to be planning on how they handle Rule 5 in the future. Her contact allowed for 6 projects – to date 3 have been completed with another in process. Bill Comer and Denise will get with APC Jamie Knowles next week to brainstorm. Denise provided a copy of a booklet “Building With The Land” that she helped Jennings County Soil & Water Conservation District develop. It is a Homebuyer’s guide to Soils, Drainage, and Erosion Control in Jennings County.

SWCD Newsletter: 1^st quarterly newsletter mailed. Bob Backus FSA had JW do 4 pages and they did 4 pages. Bob overlooked that FSA will not fold, stamp, mail, etc. if over 4 pages total. FSA office staff and JW folded this newsletter and put the labels on. FSA did not renew their bulk postage permit. JW contacted the Greater Scott County Chamber of Commerce to see if SWCD could use their permit number as JW remembered seeing an article in paper of such. Newsletter printed using the Chamber permit number. JW contacted two agencies for printing costs. Based on 1200 copies, the costs would be $283 for 4-pages and $530 for 8-pages. Costs include folding, taping, and labeling. In reviewing 2006 postage costs, average cost was $290 per each mailing. JW said unless she pursues the avenue of getting sponsors to defer the printing costs or gets a grant to purchase our own laser printer, she recommends we continue partnering with FSA. She wondered if doing a newsletter with sponsors would appear to be copying what the Chamber does and cause community conflict.

Rental Equipment: Both pieces of equipment have had been overhauled and are back on the lot for rental. Cost of 15’ maintenance was $1,385.15. Cost of 7’ maintenance was $903.19 for a total of $2,288.34. We have several landowners picking up 7’ this week. Matt advised board he has some cups at his house, and recommends we get extra bearings. JW advised some users are not returning equipment in clean equipment for next person renting. Will add note to top of contract, and if continues will put a sign on the equipment.

Outstanding Expenses from Board Supervisor – CWI Incentive Grant: Mileage report turned in this meeting for Denny Wilson. Laura advises can be paid per diem on supervisors. Need to know the # of days each person in attendance had. Only board members will be paid. John thinks he is the only person that will get the per diem. Round runs from June 2, 2006 to June 1, 2007.

Soil & Water Stewardship Week: Proclamation done – will be in newspaper. Scott County State Bank contacted to put on their marquee. News articles in Journal & Giveaway. Follow-up will be put in Chamber newsletter. Packets will be delivered to Districts 1 & 2 administration offices this Friday, April 20^th.

SWCD Business Plan:

1. Host A Drainage Workshop: John, Bill, and Joe met with Scott County Drainage Board (SCDB) at their April 4^th meeting. SWCD offered assistance on this board. Joe feels SCDB will participate in workshop and assist with brochures. SCDB would like an inventory done of all public drains in Scott County and the condition of each. Pat Larr advised SWCD that this would take a half a year to complete and would need to hire a technician as GIS and 2005 digital photography would be involved. SWCD advised there are no funds available from SCDB. Pat said this would have to be a winter time project. SWCD elected to put the inventory project on hold at this time until a financial plan between SCDB and SWCD could be developed.

2. Wildlife – Purchase of Plotmaster Food Plot Machine: Bill Comer will visit with Scott Howser of Ducks Unlimited. When he meets with APC Jamie Knowles, he will ask if any county funds are available to purchase a Plotmaster.

3. Wildlife Seed for Wildlife Food Plots: Last conversation JW had with Ray Meahl of Quail Unlimited was on 4/12/07. Seed items needed have been located in Illinois & Kentucky. Quail Unlimited will be packaging and they anticipate will be ready for delivery last week April or first week May. JW will arrange for pickup.

NEW BUSINESS

Forestry Field Day: Guest Don Stump, Pat Larr, and Judy had met earlier in month. Don has reserved the shelter house above the beach area and the nature trail at Hardy Lake for Saturday, September 15^th. Don will prepare a tentative agenda with the theme being “Hardy Lake Rejuvenation Celebration.” Don and Judy will work up a brochure for publicity. This used to be an annual event at Hardy Lake, but has not been done for over 20 years.. Co-sponsors will be Indiana Tree Farmer, District 3 Historic Hoosier Hills, SWCD, and Division Forestry. Anticipated times 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Chili or bean soup, grilled hot dogs, refreshments from Pepsi. Door prizes will be awarded. Subjects can include: Bobby Burton scale/grading logs. Tree Planting, Cost Share Opportunities, Insect & Disease Control, Selling Your Timber, Chainsaw Carving. Will need a volunteer at the gate house to do the registration. Have tour guides. Don asked for two supervisors to volunteer to firm up the plans. Bill Comer and Matt Oberlies volunteered. A motion was made by Matt Oberlies with a second by Joe Robbins for the Forestry event to be SWCD’s annual field day and for SWCD to be over the event with the assistance of co-sponsors mentioned above. Event will have a tree dedication.

SWCD Business Plan:

Forestry Day – Incentive Payments: Based on improvements, cost sharing. See Pat Larr – application funded. Don Stump will assist. Two EQUIP contracts presently in Scott County, no minimum acreage required. Take weak trees out, spray, create openings if feasible, let mother nature rejuvenate. Pat advised NRCS did not get a grant, but will continue to watch for grants. This can be promoted at Forestry Field Day in September.

SWCD Website: Resolution needed to change from FrontPage to Dream Weaver and to purchase the applicable website software Dream Weaver 3 Bible and the graphics software Fireworks 3 Bible by Joseph W. Lowery IDG Books. JW estimates cost to be $400-$500. FrontPage not user friendly and outdated. Motion made by Bill Comer with a second by Jeff Coomes for JW to proceed with purchase of software and replacing website using this software limiting software expense to $500. All members voted on and motion carried.

Plant-A-Tree Committee – Resolution Needed: At PAT committee meeting, JW advised that previous SWCD Office Mgr. Ginger Christie agreed for Scott County SWCD to be a partner of this project. JW did not find this in the 2006 minutes, but in discussing with Ginger and John Hardin, they remember it. This project is tied to 4 counties: Scott, Clark, Floyd & Jefferson. Each county pays Historic Hoosier Hills (they are the 501c3) $250 to cover costs associated with the start up of this program. Need a resolution from board to approve the $250. Check #4053 payable to Historic Hoosier Hills needs to be signed at this meeting. Motion made by Joe Robbins with a second by Bill Comer. All members voted on and motion carried.

Set Date for 5^th Annual 2007 Pasture Walk & Where Held: Brainstorm session. Pat Larr suggested be based on “Bale Pad Under Construction.” JW contact Terry Goodin & Jeff Lapp to see if we can hold Pasture Day at both of their places as they have bale pads. Last year’s event was July 13^th.

Fair Week: Third Week July: July 15 through July 21^st. Call Marvin Cox or Mike Payne of Fair board and reserve a booth rental in the new building.

Sales Tax Application: Indiana Department of Revenue advises we can do on-line with a $25 application fee. SWCD needs this when selling items that are not tax exempt. Will apply for an annual return filing. Matt Oberlies made a motion with a second from Jeff Coomes. All members voted on and motion carried.

Flag Markers: Dan Smith and Phil Comer were in and received flags. In conversation with Ginger, she advised we no longer charged for flags due to the sales tax issue. Supervisors advise that we purchase from Blackburn Manufacturing and we do want to charge – look at previous periods and see what was charged and use that to invoice by. Invoice once sales tax application completed.

Letter to Legislators supporting CWI 2007-2009 Budget: Letters sent to State Representatives Dennie Oxley and Terry Goodin, and Congressman Baron Hill. SWCD received a response letter from Dennie Oxley that is included in each member’s packets.

County & CWI 2007 Appropriations: County advises council awarded $5,000 to Scott County. JW will pick up at courthouse 5/9. Claim voucher for CWI was mailed 4/17/07 for the $10,000 annual match revenue. JW reminded supervisors that they will need to attend the budget meeting with the Scott County Council to continue to be included in their budget.

NRCS Fiscal Year 2007 Contribution Agreements: Freeze has been lifted. SWCDs can submit proposals for Contribution Agreements. Information enclosed in member packets. Pat Larr mentioned that this could be used for support technical staff. NRCS contribute match, technician do farm related CRP, EQUIP, etc. could supplement local funds. Decent opportunity for future. Each district makes a proposal, $5,000 minimum, match dollar for dollar. Could partner with another county. SWCD would need to develop the workload needed for technical person. Supervisors elected to table this.

River Friendly Farmer Award: Application deadline 6/27/07 – can turn in 2 per county. Carlos Crowhorn was in and requested information on this. Carlos said he wanted to recommend someone, and wanted to know if he could be considered. I gave him printouts and told him to review the criteria, and if he felt the applicant or himself was eligible to complete the applications and bring back to use. Supervisors brainstormed following potential candidates: Jim/Marvin Moon, Randy Mace, Joe Robbins, Larry McNeely, Ed/Jack Roll. Supervisors want Judy to call or send letters to Randy Mace and Jack Roll to see if they would like to be nominated.

Scott County Bank Signature Card:

1. Approve resolution in minutes allowing Judy White authorization to:

a. Request and receive any information needed about checking or savings accounts.

b. Obtain copies of cancelled checks as needed.

c. Stop payments on checks as needed.

2. Laura Fribley advised JW that IASWCD only requires 1 signature on checks. Do supervisors want to make a RESOLUTION to this effect?

3. Matt Oberlies would like SWCD to do on-line banking. Resolution needed for Judy White to do this.

Board supervisors reviewed and decided they want to continue with two signatures on checks. Judy White will contact Scott County State Bank and have SWCD set up for on-line banking with Judy being the main user (Item #3). Board allows approval for all items mentioned in Item #1 allowing Judy White this authority. Motion made by Bill Comer to accept with a second by Jeff Coomes. All members voted on and motion carried.

Scott County Community Foundation: Judy met with Executive Director Barbara Timberlake on 4/16/07. SCCF will host a grant application workshop that is due August 1^st. Announcements of grant recipients will be at a breakfast on 9/21. SCCF board now does a Question/Answer interview with candidates. If SWCD wants to apply for a grant, need to advise JW what they want $ for. New field equipment, printer, etc. A few supervisors would need to be present at the Q/A session. This round will be $35,000/$40,000 pot. We cannot send Denny Wilson to represent the board as he is a member of the SCCF board. Denny recommended that SWCD show that they will provide revenue for part of the purchase (i.e. color copier – SWCD has $2,000 to put towards, but is applying to SCCF for remaining $3,000 needed for purchase.) Bill Comer made motion authorizing Judy to get the application when SCCF makes public announcement, but present to board before doing sending application to SCCF to allow supervisors to approve. Second made by Jeff Coomes. All members voted on and motion carried.

Hardy Lake Sweep: SWCD took a $1,247.83 loss in 2006 with this event due to the associated costs of t-shirts and lack of sponsors. John Hardin advised Judy at Soil & Water Stewardship Proclamation signing that board wants to continue to do this project, but without any financial loss. Judy has been contacting sponsors. Sponsors have pledged $650. Judy asked board members if any of them would be a sponsor or if they thought their employer’s would be. Jeff Coomes said he would be. John Hardin would check with his employer American Plastics to see if they would. With Jeff’s pledge, this brings us to $750. Judy advised board that Wal-Mart Foundation has a grant application that you can get from local store to apply for $1,000 for community events. Governmental agencies are eligible. Judy would like permission to apply for this grant. Judy will visit with local Wal-Mart and see how often governmental agencies are granted funds or if 501c3’s are looked at first. Friends of Hardy Lake is a 501c3 group that is associated with the Hardy Lake Sweep. Bill Comer made a motion authorizing Judy to apply for Wal-Mart grant, either under Friend of Hardy Lake or SWCD with a second by Joe Robbins. All members voted on and motion carried. Board suggested JW contact Jeff Lytle, Tom Perotti with Southern Indiana Waste District, Burns Construction, and Tommy Bales Tobacco to see if they would be sponsors.

SWCD Credit Card Application: When supplies were ordered for Soil & Water Stewardship Week, payment had to be made before they would ship products. When they received our check, they sent it to another location and order was held up again. NACD kept saying they had not received our check. I called bank and they said check had cleared. NACD had no record of. Had to go to bank and get front/back copies of check, call Matt on cell phone to authorize me getting a copy of check. JW checked with Clark County SWCD and they have a credit card. IASWCD rules show that county SWCD offices can have a credit card (refer to the “Response to Questions” printout included in member packets that were accumulated at the 2005 IDEA Fall Workshop session with the State Board of Accounts – refer to Questions 1 & 8. Bill Comer made a motion for Judy to apply for a credit card with a second by Jeff Coomes. All members voted on and motion carried.

Office Supplies – NRCS: In the past, NRCS allowed county SWCD offices to get office supplies from their budgets by sending quarterly orders to Brenda McGovern at NRCS. Brenda has advised Judy that due to this year’s budget, NRCS can only supply SWCD copy paper. Pat Larr said that she can place orders for printer cartridges and supplies when needed since she is an NRCS employee.

Expenditures/Decision Making – Is There a Dollar Amount Scott County SWCD Office Manager is allowed without Pre-Approval from SWCD Board: Judy advised that being new to board she did not know if she brings everything to board for pre-approval. Board advised Judy she is allowed to order general office supplies, but if she needs something out of the ordinary (costly) to bring to the board for approval first before ordering.

FY2006 Outstanding Checks:

Check #3957 to Joe Robbins 9/21/06 for $35 has not cleared.

Check #3964 to Dennis E. Wilson 9/28/06 for $35 has not cleared.

Board discussion about stop payment. Supervisors want JW to contact SCSB to see if they will void checks in lieu of stop payment to avoid the charges. Decision of stop payment and re-issuance will be based on discussion with SCSB at May board meeting. If SCSB will void the checks without costs, re-issue checks to Joe and Dennis and bring to May board meeting.

FY2006 Outstanding Invoices:

Invoice 2005-44 Dennis E. Wilson $35.00 6/16/05

Invoice 2006-38 Jesse Loewen $35.00 10/18/06

Invoice 2006-12 Dave Miller $110.00 5/26/06

Board would like JW to attempt to collect payment on 2006 items. Check and see if the 2005 item is a duplicate invoice by mistake. Dennis said to apply the Check #3964 $35.00 due him to this invoice.

State of Indiana/DNR Certificate of Approval Construction in a Floodway: These forms are being received in the mail. Does the board want to see them at board meetings? What does JW do with? Do they belong to SWCD? Board said to maintain these in SWCD records.

Summary of Activities for District Office Manager – March 2 through April 19, 2007: Board supervisor Bill Comer commented that he liked the reminder postcard Judy developed. He would like to continue receiving this postcard that outlines the current month’s SWCD events.

Scott County SWCD – Selling Trees: JW advised board that she would like to sell trees. She can partner with Clark County and get trees ordered through their distributor. Chairperson John Hardin commented that he would like to see Scott County sell trees. Judy will gather information and bring to May meeting.

REPORTS:

Pat Larr NRCS: Grazing Land 319 ends 5/31/07. Ed Roll project done. Silver Creek 319 – SWCD signed on as partner with Clark County to be part of their Silver Creek field day. Sylvia Hottel who was the Floyd County SWCD educator has been hired to be the Clark County SWCD Watershed Coordinator for the District’s Silver Creed Watershed Improvement Project. CRP – No general sign up this year. Landowners have interest in buffers. Reviewing soil rental rates – proposal to increase those. Wildlife Habitat: Invasive species: 1 applicant – not funded. EQUIP: 1 contract accepted that involved energy bundle. 2 new applications this round.

Tillage Transect: This is the year NRCS is doing. Invite participation. Pat would like for Judy, SWCD Supervisors, Jerene Gilliam Agriculture officer with Scott County Purdue Extension, and Bob Backus FSA to participate.

Laura Fribley ISDA: Laura unable to make tonight’s meeting. Her report is included in your packet. Employee Training Form: Judy provided spreadsheet copy to Chairperson John Hardin with items SWCD Supervisor needs to train Judy in yellow highlighted.

FINANCIAL DISTRICT REPORTS:

Motion made by Joe Robbins with a second by Bill Comer to approve checks 4034 through 4053 totaling $7,740.76. All board members signed Accounts Payable Voucher Register.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

John Hardin inquired if SWCD wants to be nominated for Good Neighbor Award. Dennis Wilson said we were to send in nominations of other agencies/individuals – not SWCD. Another agency may elect to nominate us.

ADJOURNMENT:

With no further business to discuss, Chairperson John Hardin asked for adjournment. Motion made by Bill Comer with a second by Joe Robbins to adjourn the meeting at 9:50 p.m. All members voted on and motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Judy White, Office Manager

Minutes approved and signed by Scott County SWCD Supervisors: